Completed Event: Men's Basketball at Utah on February 24, 2026 , Win , 75, to, 59
Final
Men's Basketball
75
Utah
59
Iowa State University Athletics
Centennial Moments: Hornacek's Heroics
11.13.2007 | Men's Basketball
In honor of 100 years of Iowa State men's basketball during the 2007-08 season, cyclones.com will publish weekly "Centennial Moments," featuring brief stories on former Cyclone players, coaches and teams. Check back at cyclones.com for more "Centennial Moments." Be sure to click here to see this week's video vignettes.
Hornacek's shot at the buzzer beats Miami (Ohio) in NCAA Tournament
Iowa State has a long list of exciting buzzer-beaters in its history of the men's basketball program. Don Medsker's shot in the closing seconds that defeated No. 1 ranked Kansas in 1957 was the first of many memorable last-second miracles. However, one buzzer-beater that is still fresh in the minds of most Cyclone fans occurred on one of the biggest stages (1986 NCAA Tournament) by one of their all-time heroes: Jeff Hornacek.
In 1985-86, the Cyclones were making their second consecutive NCAA Tournament under legendary coach Johnny Orr. ISU lost in the first round of the 1985 NCAA Tournament and were eager to notch its first postseason win since 1944. One of ISU's stars that season was Hornacek. A walk-on from LaGrange, Ill., Hornacek developed into one of the best players in Big Eight history. A first-team all-Big Eight choice in 1986, Hornacek ended the regular season as the Big Eight's all-time career leader in assists.
The Cyclones' first opponent in the tournament was a tough Miami (Ohio) team led by future NBA All-Star Ron Harper. The game was a see-saw affair played in front of thousands of Cyclone fans that made the three-hour trek north to the Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minn.
The game was deadlocked at 65-65 and went into overtime after Hornacek hit a long jumper with :27 seconds remaining in regulation to force the extra period. Both teams traded baskets throughout the overtime. It looked as if ISU had the advantage, but a controversial goal-tending call let Miami tie the game with four seconds left.
ISU called a timeout to setup a play it practiced every day. Gary Thompkins inbounded the ball to a cutting Hornacek, who was 30-feet away when he received the pass. He dribbled once, squared up and nailed a 26-foot bomb at the buzzer to give ISU a historic 81-79 win.
"We practiced that play a lot," Hornacek said after the win. "I got a double screen and kept coming for the pass. Whenever you can win a NCAA game like that, it's a thrill for the whole team."
The shot was even more pleasing for Hornacek who was mired in a shooting slump for a couple of weeks before the big game.
"I felt good about shooting today," Hornacek said. "I think breaking the slump was a matter of concentrating on the front of the rim." Hornacek finished the day with 15 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the floor. He later went on to a successful 14-year NBA career where he played in two NBA Finals with the Utah Jazz.
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